Apparatus for lifting a vehicle body



Aug. 9, 1932. B. F. FITCH 1,370,991

APPARATUS FOR LIFTING A VEHICLE BODY Filed May 1, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1attomegs Aug. 9, 1932. B. F. FITCH 1,870,991

APPARATUS FOR LiFTING A VEHICLE BODY Filed May 1. 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2FiE E I Zmnentor wwmaaazq 8g @64 3 (Ittomegs v Aug. 9, 1932. B. F. FITCH1,370,991

APPARATUS FOR'LIFTING A VEHICLE BODY Filed May 1, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3F'IEiB ZSnventor Gttornegs a truck as it backs into Patented Aug. 9,1932 ENT TOE BENJAMIN F. FITCH, GREENWICI'I, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGN OE TOMOTOR TERMINALS COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DEL AWARE A APPARATUS FORLIFTING A VEHICLE BODY CORPORATION or DELAWARE Application, filed May 1,1930. Serial No. 448,865.

My application No. 369,504 filed June 8th, 1929, sets out a method ofhandling freight by the employment of automobile trucks and demountablebodies, a loaded body being thus conveyed to a station, then raised andunloaded and after reloading being lowered onto a truck for transferenceto some other region. The present invention is concerned with apparatusillustrated also in my parent application for carrying out such method.ll/lore specifically in the present invention 1 provide mechanismactuated by the movement of position adjacent the platform to raise ademountable body from a truck frame; after which, the truck is free forother duty, while the body is being loaded or unloaded My invention isillustrated in the drawings hereof and it'is hereinafter more fullydescribed, and its essential novel features are summarized in theclaims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the body-raisingequipment, showing also a truck and body in the position before theraising of the body begins; F ig. 2 is a similar elevation showing theparts after the body has been raised and the empty truck is drivingaway; Fig. 3 is an end view of the equipment and truck; Fig. 4 is a planthereof; Fig. 5 is a vertical section on a larger scale of ap paratusfor leveling the truck frame as it comes into its final restingposition; Figs. 6 and 7 are details of a. locking device for anchoringthe raising apparatus in position the line 77 of Fig. 6.

- with the container raised, Fig. 6 being a sectional plan and Fig. avertical section on As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a loading platform isindicated at 10, constructed of concrete. In front of this platform is aspace on a lower level providing truck runways or pits 11, into whichthe truck may back. Opposite sides of the pit are shown as bounded byraised curbs or walls 12, thus dividing the space into individualtruck-backing spaces.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, indicates a truck having a low-heightrearwardly-extended frame 21, and having the usual supporting wheels 22and 23, the latter being the driving elements being indicated at 44,diagonal braces lateral top beams 46 and 47.

' wardly projecting wheels. This frame 21 is provided on its up I lgagement of lifting hooks, these attaching are preferably made inaccordance with my patent No. 1,485,972, and comprise metal pocketshaving cross bars which are set into and attached to the body at theeaves.

The fittings vable eyes or overhanging recesses for the en-' On theupper surface of the walls 12 are 7 shown rails 40 on which ridesupporting Wheels 41 of a superstructure 42 which eX- tends upwardly onopposite sides of the truck and body and over the top thereof. Thissusills 43 carrying the wheels 41, upright posts 45, and horizontal andThe top portion of the movable superperstructure is shown ascomprisinglowerstructure carries four sheaves over which pass fourcables 51. The lower'end of each cable is provided with a hook 52adapted to coact with the body fitting 35. The other reach of the cable51 extends downwardly to a sheave 55, carried by the superstructure nearits bottom, and thence the cable passes forward to a suitable stationaryanchorage, indicated at 57, for instance an eye set into the Wall 12.

The superstructure is provided with a transverse bumper against whichthe rear endsof the truck sills 21 may abut in the back ing movement ofthe truck. This bumper may also be provided with suitable means forleveling the truck frame.

means is shown as comprising a pair of forprongs 62, having upwardlyinclined lower to coact with rollers 27 carried by the truck sills. Theabutment 62 is preferably tioned so that its top is normally higher thantheroller 27 of a body-carrying truck. Hence when a truck backs into thepit the rollers 27 will engage the inclines 63, as shown in dotted linesin Fig; 5, and finally come into the This leveling posie faces 63 whichare adapted Accordingly by the time backed entirely into the pit,

Now a suitable pin ary y it niaintainsthebody at the proper level for.may then move on low with the truck frame as its forward movement andfor a short interl'ieved on the bars for the hooks 52" so clear of thebody when they are lowered, but

position shown in full lines in that figure when the truck sill 21 hasabutted the vertical face of the bumper block 60 This will insure thetruck being at a definite level at this time.

lVhen the engagement just referred to takes place the parts are in' theposition shown in Fig. 1. After the truck has come into this positionthe hooks. 52 are attached to the fittings 5-3 at the caves of the body.Thereafter as the truck continues to back into the pit, it shoves thesuperstructure with i The hoistcables being all anchoredat the forwardends of their horizontal reaches, it follows that this backmovement ofthe superstructure, pulls down onthe Iong'vertical'reaches of the cablesand pulls up on the short reaches attached to the hooks and thus raisesthe body. the truck has the body will be raised with itstioorsubstantially on a level with the platform 10 as illustrated inFig. 2. In this position the superstructure is also at the bacl'rcf thepit and the bumper block 60 thereon has come. beneath a bracket 71projecting from the wall ofthe platform 10. 7 5. is dropped through anopening in the bracket. 71 into a registering opening in the block 70,thus locking the su )erstructure'to the platform wall.

Vhen the superstructure is locked stationin its rearmostposition as justdescribed,

loadin and unloading by hand trucking throng the, doorway 82,;it alsoleaves the truck. entirely free to drive out from beneath thesuperstructure- Accordingly the truck for other duty;

Attcr the container has been unloaded, and if desired reloaded withother merchandise V for fresh delivery, a truck backs intothe pitbeneath such freshly loaded body. In such movement the rear end of thetruclr comes against the bumper 60, properly l'evelin the truck byreason of the abutments 62. nch rearward. pressure of the truck servesto relieve the stress of the locking pin 75 so that this pin may bereadily withdrawn. Then, the weight of the container, pulling down .wardon. the cables, urges the superstructure fiorward, causing suchsuperstructure tofolthe latter begins val until the body'comes intoposition on the frame. The body is accurately positioned by the beveledtrucl'r projections 25 entering the beveled recesses in the underfaceof?the body. W'hen the tension has been thus recablesthe hooks may bedetached, from, the body, and then the truck withi'tsloaded containeris'free for travel away fromthe station.

if find. it convenient to provide spreader that they may be they mayengage.

thereby been raised may readily come into engagement with the fittings35. To this end I have shown each pair of hooks on the same side of thebody as connected by a longitudinal positioning bar 80, and these twobars as connected together near their ends with the two spreader bars 81extending diagonally inwardly and pivoted together. To the pivots ofthese bars are attached cables: 82 which lead upwardly over sheavestoward an intermediate point where they are shown as passing aroundsheaves 84, Fig. t and there joining into a sin sheaves 86, and 87 anddepends at 88 to a convenientposition where it may be operated by theoperator inthe cabof the truck.

The weight of the spreader bars 8]." normally maintains the hookspositioned a distance apart greater than the width of the body 80, andopposite the upper portion of the body, the spreader bars being slightlyhigher than the roof of the body. Now when a'truck with a loaded bodydrives into the pit, as soon as, its rear end has the rear end of thesuperstructure: the operator liOIOkS'lllWfiPdlY against thesides of thecontainer just beneath the cave bars 85 which Now as the truck continuesto move into the pit andthe superstructure moves rearwa-rdly,'the hookstraveling upwardly come intotight engagement the container, and thenlift described.

As heretofore explained when thetruck reaches the rear end of the pitthe body has to a position with its floor substantially on a level withthe platformlt). Then the doors are opened and the load removed from thecontainer, by the aid of hand truclri ngir" desired, after which thecontainer may be reloaded. The reloaded container may'thenbelowered'onto'the truck. When the reloaded container has been solowered, by reason of the outward movement of the truck andsuperstructure,the tension on they cables 51 slacl rensas the bodybecomes seated onthe true-it; thenthe weight of the spreader bars 81operateslto swing these bars downwardly into approximately horizontalposition, spreading thehooks; freeing them from the container andholding them in: position ready to coact with the container on the nexttruck which baclted into position beneath the superstructure.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for transferringflfreight comprising a flexible cablehaving a depending portion adapted to be connected to a demountableautomobile body, a sheave supporting the cable, a movable membercarrying the sheave and adapted to be moved by 1e cable 85 which passesaround suitable means for anchoring the cable whereby means foractuating the raising movement of the member by the truck may structure,flexible raising mechanism depending therefrom and provlded with meansto engage a demountable automobile body, means for anchoring theflexible raising mechanism independently of the superstructure, andmeans whereby a truck may engage the superstructure and move it bodilyby the power of the truck.

4. The combination witha truck runway, of a superstructure over the samemounted on wheels to travel bodily, raising mechanism' carried by thesuperstructure, and

the travel of the truck, causing the. superstructure to shift bodily.

5. The combination of a. truck runway, a

bodily movable device adjacent the same,

raising mechanism carried by said device, means whereby a travelmg truckmoves said device longitudinally with it at the same speed, and meanswhereby suchf movement may raise a body on the'truck vertically.

6. The combination of a" truck runwayf a bodily movable superstructureover they 7 "same, depending raising mechanism carried by thesuperstructure, means whereby a truck beneath the'superstructure mayshift it bodily with the truck and means whereby such movement may raisethe body on the,

truck. 7 H J r 7. The combination of a movable super.- structure,flexible raising mechanism depending therefrom and having asubstantially horizontal reach anchored to a stationary point, wherebythe movement of the superstructure may raise the depending reach of theflexible raising mechanism, and means for attaching such flexibleraising mechanism to a demountable body on a truck beneath thesuperstructure, the truck being 7 adapted to move the superstructure andthereby raise the body. 7

8. The combination with a truck runway,

of a. bodily movable superstructure above" the same, the truck beingadapted to move. by backward movement in the runway into positionbeneath the superstructure, means whereby the truck may engage suchsuper-' structure to move it bodily with the-truck, raising mechanismcarried by the superstructure and adapted to engage a demount able bodyon the truck, means whereby such raising mechanism is operated by thebackof the superstructure,

the body,

device by l bri-dgework,

shift the superstructure bodily, and means h whereby suchshiftingmovement may cause .byv the backup move the superstructure bodily, meanswhere- 1 platform, and means for locking ward movement of thesuperstructure, and I means for locking the superstructure in its Ibackward position. whereby 'thebody is maintained in raised position. vI

- 9. The combination of a-truck runway, a

superstructure spanning" the runway at a truck with a demountable'bodymay back into position beneath the raising mechanism depending from suchspanning portion "of the superstructure and adaptedto engage drawnupwardly by reason of the backward movement of the superstructure,whereby a I truck backing into the runway and engaging thesuperstructure and shoving'it rearwardly'will raise the bodyfrom thetruck.

10. The combination of a truck runway, a

wheeled superstructure spanning the runway a substantial elevation,whereby a truck with spanning portion a 'substantialelevation' andadapted to travel bodily lengthwise of the runway whereby ameans-whereby saidmechanism is, v

a demountable body may moveinto position beneath the spanning portion ofthe superstructure, a raising cable depending from the superstructureand adapted to be connectedto the body, a'sheave at the top of thesuperstructure over which the cable passes, sheaves guiding such cabledownwardly and for'wardly, and means for anchoring the forward end ofthe cables whereby a truck backing into the truck.-

by saidbridgewo'rk demountable body means whereby such truck may theraising mechanism to pull upon the body.

12. The combination with a raised platform having an adjacent truckrunway, movable superstructure over the runway, a de pending cablecarried by the superstructure a bodily and adapted to be'connected to amovable body on a. truck in the runway means wheres movement of thetruckmay by such movement causes a pull on the cable to raise the bodyintoregistration with the structure in position withthe body raised."13. The combination of-a platform and an adjacent truck runway, trackrails on opposite sides thereof, a superstructure having wheels,engaglng the rails and spanning the space between them at a substantialeleva 'tion, whereby a truck with a demountable body may back intoposition between thejf l1.' The-combination ofa'truck runway, ralls onopposite sides thereof, a superstruc ture having spaced upright portionsprovided runwaymay shove the superstructure rearq 'j'wardly andtherebyraise the body" from the "with wheels tracking on the respectiverails" and having a bridgework across the runway, v depending flexibleraising mechanism carried and adapted to-engage a" on a truck beneaththe 7 the superv on the body,

- means for anchoring irails and beneath the spanning portion of thesuperstructure, four raising cables depending from the superstructureand adapted toen gage four points at the corner of a rectangle structureover which cables pass, sheaves guiding such cables downwardly and forwardly substantially parallel with therails,

the-forwardends of the cables whereby, a truck backing into the runwaymay shove the superstructureflrearwardly and thereby raise the body fromthe truck, and means for locking the superstructure in its rearmostposition whereby the body level with the adjacentplat'form e 145.. Inafreight transferring apparatus, the

may be maintained raised on an unloading combination of a movablymounted superstructure, a raising mechanis nc'arried thereby andoperating in the raisingvdirection by movement of the superstructure, abumper on the superstructure whichatruck backing beneath it may engage,and means for automatically leveling such truck;

1 5. The'combination of a;pair o1f parallel tracks hav ng a truckrunwaybetween them,

a superstructure movably mounted onjthe tracks having upright portionsand a top "form havin a it for a'truclr 3 7 by the superstructure andmeans on the truck iug mechanism for the pit may engage portion adaptedto extend over aldemount on such truck, a-bumper on the n fibi bodysuperstructure, an inclined prcqection carried coacting with frame asthellatter backs into position against the bumper, andraisbackwardmovement of the-superstructure. 16, The combination with a freight platasuperstructure spanning thepit and movable lengthwise-shoveitbackwardalong thepit, flexible raising mechanism carried 17. Anapparatus for, transferring comprising an elevated support, sheavesthereon, flexible raising means depending Q vertically over said sheavesand provided with means to engage an automobile body and meansactuatedby horizontal'moveme'nt of a truck carrying said body forpulling said sheaves at the top of: the super i na u ethe bodyactuatedby the r ati nary po flepe di fiheav carriedby the superstructurewhereby the movement of the superstructure may raise the depending reachof the flexible raising mechanism, means for attaching suchflexiblerais- I .mg mechanlsm to a demountable body on a ruck beneath thesuperstructure,- and means whereby the truck by its own power may movethe superstructure and thereby raise the body.

the aid of an automobiletruck and a demountablebody thereon. compris nga sh1ft able support providedw th a sheave,a flexible raising memberadapted to be attached to thegbody and extending over the sheave andanchored to an extraneous point,'and means on the support adapted to beengaged by the truck, whereby the truck. may move: the support as thetruckimoves.

20. The meansi'orhandling aid ofan automobile truck and a demountablebody, comprising a superstructure beneathjwhich the truck may back,sheaves car-, ried by said superstructure above the truck, cablesextraneously anchored and leading over the sheaves, thence depending,and arrangedto beattach'ed' to the demountable body, and abumper on'thesuperstructure in the path of the truck, whereby the truck,

and shoveit horizontally with the truck.

In testimonywhereof, I hereuntoafiix my tl'iereof, means whereby .atruck backedinto the superstructure and by the superstructure andadapted tobe connected to ademount- 19. Themeans for transferringfreight by freight by the when backing, mayv engage the superstructure bos raising means about their sheaves to raise the'body. I t a V 18. Thecombination of a movable superstructure having} supporting wheels,flexible raising mechanism anchored to a relatively

